Among member states for which data are available for the second quarter of 2018, Malta (+1.9%), Estonia and Romania (both +1.4%) recorded the highest growth compared with the previous quarter, while the lowest growth was observed in Denmark, Greece, France and Italy (all +0.2%).
Household final consumption expenditure rose by 0.2% in the euro area in the second quarter and by 0.3% in the EU28 (after +0.5% in both areas in the previous quarter). Gross fixed capital formation increased by 1.2% in both the euro area and the EU28 (after +0.3% in both areas). Exports increased by 0.6% in the euro area and by 0.2% in the EU28 (after -0.7% and -0.5%). Imports increased by 1.1% in the euro area and by 0.9% in the EU28 (after -0.3% and -0.1%).
Seasonally adjusted GDP rose by 0.4% in both the euro area (EA19) and the EU28 during the second quarter of 2018, compared with the previous quarter. In the first quarter of 2018, GDP had also grown by 0.4% in both areas.
Compared with the same quarter of the previous year, seasonally adjusted GDP rose by 2.1% in both the euro area and the EU28 in the second quarter of 2018, after +2.4% and +2.3% respectively in the previous quarter.
A second reading by Romania’s statistics board on Friday confirmed the country’s second-quarter GDP grew 1.4% in real terms compared with the first quarter.